In our home school district, completion of sixth grade was a time of transition for all students. In the 1970s and 80s, the area in which we lived was experiencing tremendous growth. Thus, to manage the number of students, school buildings were organized as follows. Elementary grades were kindergarten through fourth grade, lower middle school fifth and sixth grades, upper middle school seventh through ninth grades, and high school 10th through 12th grades. So for Nick, completion of the sixth grade represented an opportunity to get into a longer-term mode of thinking and planning, knowing full well that Nick never was on a normative age-to-grade curve. The decisions that were made in the spring of that year would have long-term and positive pervasive effects on Nick's adult well being and independence and would be another huge growth experience for me as a parent, a lesson in learning to let go.

It was clear that Nick would never be college-bound and would not even graduate from high school if kept in the "normal" school track. Also, it seemed clear to me that if his or my "vision" was to be met, we had to start to think and act differently about his skill acquisition. By age 14, Nick seemed to be maxed out on his basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. What we now needed to do was to assist him in acquiring solid vocational skills to facilitate meeting the long long-term goal of employability. This meant moving him across district.

Within the Intermediate School District that Nick attended there was only one pre-vocational/vocational program available to youngsters who was middle through high school age and beyond. However, it was about as far across the county as it could possibly be which meant an hour-long bus ride for Nick each way every day, thus a school day that extended from 6:30 a.m. to about 5 p.m. However, once he got accustomed to the long days, and the fact that he could take a nap each day after arriving home and before dinner, he adjusted quite well.

The program, an ISD center-based program referred to as the Jardon Vocational Center, had an enormous range of options for skill development for youngsters with varying levels of intellectual disability and learning disabilities. Vocational curriculum included everything from gardening and landscape, to culinary arts, to cleaning services, auto mechanics, and cosmetology, to name just a few. Students took a mix of general academic classes needed to complete requirements for high school graduation and sampled various vocational programs until a good fit was found. Once their skill set was determined to match one or two particular vocational fields, they then focused on moving through a progression of on site, to sheltered, to supported community employment, to independent employment vocational opportunities.

Jardon also leveled the social playing field for its students. Many activities were planned for students that students in special education classes in a regular high school might not participate in, such as proms, school plays, etc. The other very positive thing about the place was that everyone expected the students to be successful, including the principal, teachers - both academic and vocational -secretaries, volunteers, and parents. Much emphasis was given to kids being responsible and to look for and capitalize on "teachable moments." For example, in the horticulture program, students worked on maintaining the grounds - very beautifully, I might add. They also raised money for special programs by an annual spring plant and flower sale of items that they had grown over the winter months in the greenhouse. Almost everything they did was practical and offered an opportunity for students to learn about logical connections that were found in life.

So for Nick, moving him from special education supports in a "regular" school to a center-based program proved to be an excellent choice. Of course there are arguments pro and con about inclusion and mainstreaming versus center-based programs, but all I know is that for us it worked. But although the Jardon program gave him all the skills that he needed to acquire a high school diploma and have the job skills to be successful in an independent employment situation, his education extended far beyond the walls of that building.